Tunneling- and quarrying



mm//j iii/25 7W/7K AM. PHOTFLITHO. C0. MY. (OSBORN E'S PROCESS) UNITED STATES PATENT IRA MERRILL, OF SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSAOHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO IRA MERRILL AND ARTHUR MAXVELL.

MACHINE FOR TUNNELING AND QUARRYING'.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 14,755, dated April 22, 1856; Reissued December 19, 1865, No. 2,129.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IRA MERRILL, of Shelburne Falls, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Tunneling and Quarrying Rock; and I do hereby declare that the following.y referring to the accompanying drawings as forming a part hereof, is a full and exact description thereof, the said improvements appertaining to and constituting a part of a machine for cutting grooved channel-ways in rock by means of series of chisels which are thrown forward upon the rock by springs as often as they are withdrawn by revolving cams.

A represents the principal frame of heavy timbers, to be supported in a vertical position with one end directed toward the rock, by temporary or movable stays and braces.

B is a secondary frame supporting the chisels C, C, &c., and att-ached to the principal frame A by means of the vertical slide rods a., which also admit the vertical elevation and depression of the secondary frame B carrying therewith the chisels C, and all ,fixtures attached to said frame B. Attached to the posts B B B" of this secondary frame, are the proportionate levers D D` and the cross bar D connected by the vertical bars D; which being operated by the cord or chain passing from the crank wheel E over the sheave E and connecting with the lower lever D', cause at each revolution of the crank wheel E, an alternate elevation and depression of thel said secondary frame B with the attached fixtures, as aforesaid.

Motion is communicated to the crank wheel E, by belt from the smaller pulley E upon the driving shaft F. Upon the driving shaft F is placed the pulley Gr from which pass the round belts g, g, over the four sheaves H and around the pulleys of the cam shafts I, I, communicating to them the rotary motion required to bring the cams z', against the pawls upon the shafts of chisels C, and withdraw the said chisels from the rock with which they have been placed in Contact. The cams z' on passing said pawls, release the chisels alternately from their action when each is thrown violently forward by the springs J against the rock cutting the same at each s uccessive stroke of each separate chisel, and as the entire series of chisels are regularly elevated and depressed by the operation of the levers D D, upon theA secondary frame, regular parallel channelways are cut in said rock, from the highest to the lowest points reached by the upper and lower of said chisels. The cams z' z' are so arranged upon their shafts, that no two chisels shall strike the rock at the same instant, but successively, in rapidity corresponding to the speed of the cam shafts, as driven by thel bits g f/ from the pulley Gr, operated by the crank K, or other suitable mover. This grooving is thus continued, while the principal frame A, is forced forward, (by a jack screw placed in its rear) as the work progresses, until the grooves or channel ways are cut to the entire depth to which the chisels project beyond the frame A, when the machine is backed from the rock, withdrawing the chisels therefrom. The chisels are then removed. from their positions in the secondary frame (by first removing the keepers N, which confine them tothe frame). The crossties M, which are secured to the secondary frame B; with the levers D D with their several connections are all removed from the machine, when by sliding the bearing blocks A A toward the rear of the machine, the entire secondary frame B is swung to the opposite side of the principal frame A, and all the several parts rearranged in position for operation upon the opposite side from its former cutting, as shown in Fig. 2 by dotted lines. It is here in readiness to cut another complete series of grooves, while workmen are employed in driving into those already formed, suitable wedges, and thus breaking down the cores between the said grooves, and removing the same for use in laying block work wall or superstructure, two faces of each portion removed having been dressed by the said grooving, both plane and parallel. Thus as alternate series of grooves or channel ways are out, and the intervening cores removed, the machine is forced forward, and tunneled avenues formed or rock quarried and removed of convenient and finished form for use.

Other series of chisels may be arranged, of duplicate grooves by the rearrangement With proper cam shafts and fixtures7 to form of the Working part-s of such machine upon horizontal grooves across the top or bottom each side of its principal frame, alternately.

of the cutting7 When desired7 but this I only claim as my invent-iond 5 a secondary consideration, is not represented The arrangement of the proportionate le- 15 in the drawings. vers as and for the purpose mentioned.

I do not claim the Working' of rock in IRA MERRILL. quarries or tunneled avenues yby means Witnesses: of serial grooving; nor the construction of GUY H. HUBBARD, 10 a machine for such purpose; nor the cutting l ARTHUR MAXWELL.

[FIRST PRINTED 1912.] 

